Confused about weekly calories

[TrucksAndDinosaurs]

Hi, wonder if anyone can help?
I'm doing 5:2. First week, on second fast day.
2 x 500 calorie fast days = 1000 calories a week.
'Eat normally' on other days means about 1800 - 2100 calories.

However myfitnesspal suggests 1200 per day is what I should be on to lose 1.5lb a week. That's 8400 calories a week. (And very tiresome, restricted and unlikely to work it would be as a strategy)

If I eat 1800 calories 5 days a week, plus 1000 on fast days, that's 10,000 calories a week.

So how does that work?

For reference I am 42, 5'6 and just over 11 stone, looking to lose a stone.

Many thanks - will delurk on main thread, been reading book and following you all for last 2 months - thanks for giving me impetus to start!)

My fitness pal looks at how many calories you should be eating EVERY day to lose weight - it doesn't take into account that you're eating less than half that two days a week.

To work it put, you should do 1200 x 7 (8400) - 1000 for the fast days (=7400) divided by 5 which equals 1480 for the other non fast days.

Having said that, most people work out how many calories they'd need to maintain weight and use that as a guide for the non fast days.

Thank you for reply!
My BMR is 1780 and my TDEE is 2445.
So should I be eating 1780 or 2445 on non fast days?
Or ignoring it all and eating reasonably without tracking calories on NF days?
I am a bit askance about obsessively calorie counting all week; it doesn't work for me and leads to stress and failure.
5:2 is attractive as it promises no worrying about it on NF days.
But the maths of eating normally and averaging 1800 x 5 days a week (9000 calories) with 2 days at 500 totalling 10,000 calories a week vs the suggested 8400 doesn't stack up: doing 5:2 means I eat 1600 extra calories.

It implies slower weightloss than a 1200 calories a day seven days a week traditional diet,

Or that fasting twice weekly has some kind of magical effect

Or that appetite decreases with fasting and my average calorie intake will decline naturally as I eat more mindfully.

Which is true? Or am I confused?
Thanks again

The average weight loss on 5:2 is about 1lb per week. The difference between that and the MFP recommended 1200 cals a day, is that 1200 cals a day simply isn't sustainable in the long term. 5:2 is. You can always eat it tomorrow.

My recommendation is that you try 5:2 with no calorie counting on your days of at all. I don't mean pig out, just eat normally. If after a few weeks you aren't losing as fast as you would like, that is the time to worry about your non fast days. To start with just get your body used to fasting.

Thanks. I feel very motivated about it all. I just worry that it won't work be because I will sabotage it all on NFD. Eating less than I usually do yesterday I still clocked up 1900 calories. And no booze. I am being vaguely Briffa/paleo/low carb on NFD which means no low fat stuff and so it's easy to see the calories stack up on meat, fish, olive oil etc...

I just want this to work and be a sustainable WOE as diets are psychologically doomed to fail with me as with so many others. I am trying to get it clear in my head so I stay motivated and believe it will work.

OP
If your TDEE is 2445

2 days of 500 (and its that to within 50 calories and no allowance for exercise)
2 days of between 2000 and 2445
2 days of up to 2445
1 day of what ever you like

being blunt, if your TDEE is 2445, you have a fair bit to lose (or are VERY tall)
so it might be useful to lof your food and drink on MFP (set it to maintain and ignore unders and overs, just use it to keep track)

also, remember that as you lose weight, your TDEE drops too.

I only have a stone to lose, am 5'6 high, 42 years and 11 stone. But the link given have me that 2445 figure? It seems very high; I'd expect 1800 to be about right...

Just redone it and its 1449 BMR and 1992 TDEE and not made an allowance for breast feeding.

Anyway 1992 makes more sense. I will try and stay between 1800-1900 and have one day when I don't count and have wine.

Ah, that makes more sense!
so yes,
Monday 500
Tuesday 1800
Wednesday 1800
Thursday 500
Friday 1900
Saturday 2300
Sunday 2000
and the weight should glide away

Yay fingers crossed! Thanks :)